Mariah’s Challenge sets record, reaches milestone in 2025

If there is anyone who personifies the phrase "Butte Tough", it would have to be the McCarthy Family of Butte who have felt and continue to feel the pain of losing a daughter and sister to an impaired driver back on October 28th, 2007.  Mariah Daye McCarthy was taken from us at the age of 14 but it is what the family has done since then that is truly remarkable.

Leo McCarthy, Mariah's father, somehow turned this unimaginable tragedy into a beacon of hope and change for Butte and all of Montana by, within days of Mariah's passing, challenging kids and adults alike to accept "Mariah's Challenge".  Adults pledged to never get behind the wheel after drinking and for kids to abstain from alcohol and chemicals altogether.  In fact, if they accepted the Challenge and held true to it through graduation, they would be awarded a scholarship.  Leo is a hero not only locally but nationally.

This year, almost 18 years since that horrible day, Mariah's Challenge is not only going strong but is growing in the number of scholarships given annually.  This year's group of graduation seniors, which includes students from all over Montana, will push the total number of scholarships awarded since 2007 to over 500 kids.  That is over a half million dollars given out to students who took Mariah's Challenge.  The number of lives changed, and the number of potential tragedies avoided, though, is something that simply cannot be counted.

Mariah's Challenge continues to grow thanks to those who believe in what it stands for.  If you would like to get involved by donating or taking part in one of their fundraisers, please contact them today.